Electrical aerosol generating system

Abstract

An aerosol-generating system is provided, including a power supply; a controller connected to the supply; an aerosol-generating element connected to the controller; and a first sensor connected to the controller to provide a first signal to the controller in response to a first user input action, the controller being responsive to the first signal to switch from an off state to a ready state in which the controller prevents at least one function of the system but is responsive to a second user input action providing a second signal to the controller, and the controller comparing the second signal with stored data and switching from the ready state to an on state if the second signal matches the stored data, and in the on state the controller is responsive to a third user input action to switch to an active state in which the controller activates the function.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. An aerosol-generating system, comprising:
 a power supply; 
 a controller connected to the power supply; 
 an aerosol-generating element connected to the controller; 
 a first sensor connected to the controller and configured to provide a first signal to the controller in response to a first user input action,
 wherein the controller is responsive to the first signal to switch from an off state to a ready state, 
 wherein in the ready state the controller prevents at least one function of the aerosol-generating system but is responsive to a second user input action providing a second signal to the controller, and 
 wherein the controller is further configured to compare the second signal with stored data and to switch from the ready state to an on state if the second signal matches the stored data, and wherein, in the on state, the controller is responsive to a third user input action to switch to an active state in which the controller activates the at least one function of the aerosol-generating system; 
 
 an indicator connected to the controller, the controller being configured to activate the indicator when the system is in a ready state; and 
 a second sensor connected to the controller, the second sensor providing the second signal to the controller in response to the second user input action, 
 wherein the indicator indicates a position of the second sensor on the aerosol-generating system. 
 
     
     
       2. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the at least one function of the aerosol-generating system is supplying power from the power supply to the aerosol-generating element. 
     
     
       3. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the stored data is configurable by a user. 
     
     
       4. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second sensor connected to the controller, the second sensor providing the second signal to the controller in response to the second user input action. 
     
     
       5. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first sensor is an accelerometer, a gyroscope, or a microphone. 
     
     
       6. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 4 , wherein the second sensor is a microphone, a fingerprint sensor, an accelerometer, or a gyroscope. 
     
     
       7. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the first user input action comprises a sequence of user actions. 
     
     
       8. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third sensor connected to the controller, the third sensor providing a third input signal to the controller in response to the third user input action. 
     
     
       9. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 8 , wherein the third sensor is a capacitive touch sensor or an airflow sensor. 
     
     
       10. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to switch the system from the ready state to the off state if the second user input action is not performed within a first time period. 
     
     
       11. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a housing, wherein the first sensor is positioned within the housing, and wherein the housing does not comprise any moving parts. 
     
     
       12. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a third sensor connected to the controller and configured to provide a third input signal to the controller in response to the third user action, wherein the third sensor is an electrical sensor configured to detect a connection of an external device to the system. 
     
     
       13. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 4 , wherein the second sensor is an accelerometer or a gyroscope. 
     
     
       14. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the system is configured to have a different appearance in each of the off, ready, on, and active states. 
     
     
       15. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the indicator is configured to indicate when the system is in the on state by providing a different indication for the on state than for the ready state. 
     
     
       16. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , further comprising a second indicator connected to the controller, the controller being further configured to activate the second indicator when the system is in the on state. 
     
     
       17. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the second sensor is a touch-activated sensor. 
     
     
       18. The aerosol-generating system according to  claim 1 , wherein the controller is further configured to compare the second signal with stored data, the stored data comprising a plurality of user data sets associated with a plurality of different user profiles, and to switch from the ready state to an on state if the second signal matches one of the user data sets of the stored data, the on state being particular to the user data set matching the second signal. 
     
     
       19. A method of activating an aerosol-generating system, comprising:
 in an off state of the aerosol-generating system, detecting a first user input action; 
 switching, by a controller, the aerosol-generating system from the off state to a ready state in response to the first user input action, the controller being responsive to a first signal in response to the first user input action, the first signal being from a first sensor connected to the controller; 
 in the ready state, detecting a second user input action, comparing the second user input action with authentication data stored in a memory of the aerosol-generating system, and if the second user input action matches the authentication data, switching the aerosol-generating system from the ready state to an on state; 
 in the on state, detecting a third user input action and in response to the third user input action, supplying power to an aerosol-generating element or activating another function of the aerosol-generating system; 
 activating, by the controller, an indicator connected to the controller, when the system is in the ready state; and 
 providing, by a second sensor connected to the controller, a second signal to the controller in response to the second user input action, 
 wherein the indicator indicates a position of the second sensor on the aerosol-generating system. 
 
     
     
       20. A controller for an aerosol-generating system comprising a power supply for connection to the controller and an aerosol generating element, wherein the controller:
 is configured to receive a first signal from a first sensor in response to a first user input action, and is responsive to the first signal to switch from an off state to a ready state, wherein in the ready state the controller prevents at least one function of the aerosol-generating system but is responsive to a second user input action providing a second signal to the controller, 
 is configured to compare the second signal with stored data and to switch from the ready state to an on state if the second signal matches the stored data, and wherein, in the on state, the controller is responsive to a third user input action to switch to an active state in which the controller activates the at least one function of the aerosol-generating system, 
 is configured to activate an indicator connected to the controller, when the system is in the ready state, and 
 is configured to receive the second signal, from a second sensor connected to the controller, in response to the second user input action, 
 wherein the indicator indicates a position of the second sensor on the aerosol-generating system.